Mouthpiece for musical instruments



(No Model Wyn. LBEDER. MOUTHPIBGE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Patented Mar. 24,1896.

UWQZZ W UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

\VILLIAM E. IJIEEDER, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

MOUTHPIECE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,757, dated March 24:, 1896.

Application filed April 22, 1893. Serial No. 471,509. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. LEEDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois, have invented a Mouthpiece for Musical Instruments, of novel and useful form, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable those skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use my said invention.

My invention relates to improvements in mouthpieces for musical wind-instruments; and it has for its general object to provide a mouthpiece so formed that it is adapted to serve as a counterpoise of the body or bell of the instrument, so as to make the handling of the instrument very easy and relieve the strain 011 the lips incident to using the hand to press and hold the instrument against the lips and prevent the objectionable vibration of the mouthpiece, and one which as a result of the peculiar formation mentioned has a wide lip-surface perpendicular to the aXial line of the mouthpiece, which will enable a performer to play for a long time without fatigue of the lips and will permit a perfect embouchure.

\Vith the foregoing end in view the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claim when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in

which Figure l is an elevation of my improved mouthpiece, and Fig. 2 is a diametrical section of the same.

Before describing the details of my improved mouthpiece I desire to say that I am well aware that, broadly speaking, a mouthpiece having a flat lip-surface perpendicular to its axial line is old, and I therefore make no claim to the same.

In the drawings similar letters designate corresponding parts in both the figures, referring to which A indicates the body or enlarged portion of the mouthpiece, and B indicates the tube or reduced portion, which is preferably formed integral with the body and is designed to enter the end of an instrument in the usual manner. The body orv enlarged portion A. throughout its length (which is preferably about two-fifths of that of the entire monthpiece) is approximately four times as large in diameter as the tube or reduced portion 13, which is of the usual size, and is of a thickness equal to about one-fifth of its diameter, whereby it will be seen that when the mouthpiece is connected to an instrument it will serve as a counterpoise of the body or hell thereof and will make the handling of the instrument very easy, will relieve the strain on the lips incident to using the hand to press and hold the instrument against the lips, and will not be liable to vibrate, all of which are important advantages.

The air-chamber C in the body or enlarged portion A has its central surface somewhat concave, while the lower part of its surface, Where it merges into the usual flaring bore of the tube B, is made slightly rounded and tapering into the tube in order to offer but a minimum amount of obstruction to the passage of air from the chamber 0 into the tube B.

As before stated, the thickness of the body or enlarged portion A is equal to about onefifth of its diameter. This affords a wide flat lip-surface D, and such a lip-surface is eminently desirable in that it does not injure or fatigue the lips and does not stop the circuation of the blood in the same, and permits of the mouth being opened wide and enables the performer to obtain a better embouchure than can be obtained with the mouthpieees at present in use. The said lip-surface D is arranged perpendicular to the axial line of the mouthpiece, as shown, and it preferably has its inner and outer edges, (Z (l, slightly rounded, as shown, in order not to injure the lips of the player.

I am well aware of the patent granted to one Thomsen under date of June 7, 1881, No. 242,487, which discloses a mouthpiece having a flat lipsurface perpendicular to its axial line, and I make no claim to such construction broadly; but

hat I claim, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

The herein-described mouthpiece for musical wind-instrum ents consisting essentially of the reduced portion or tube B, of the usual diameter adapted to enter the end of an instrument and the enlarged body A, approximately four times as large in diameter throughout its length as the tube 13, and of a thickness throughout its length equal to about one-fifth of its diameter and having a chamber 1nerging into the bore of the reduced portion or tube B, and also having asziresult 01": its great thickness, a wide and flat lip-surface perpendicular to its axial line, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed at Springfield, Illinois, this 22d day of March, A. D. 1893.

XVILLIAM E. LEE'MGR.

In presence of- WILLIAM Q. OLDEN, TAD A. BAILEY. 

